Positive Connections Lead - West Alternative Provision College

About Us

Sussex Alternative Provision College (WSAPC) is one of the largest and most diverse registered Alternative Provision organisations in the country, supporting hundreds of children and young people across West Sussex every year.

Our work spans primary, secondary and post-16 education, supporting pupils who are permanently excluded, at risk of exclusion, unable to attend school due to medical needs, experiencing significant barriers to learning, or requiring specialist intervention to successfully access education. We operate across multiple sites and services throughout the county, working in partnership with schools, families, health services and local authority teams to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

At Sussex APC, we believe that every child deserves a sense of belonging, regardless of their starting point or the challenges they face. We are ambitious for our pupils and committed to helping them develop the confidence, skills and resilience needed to achieve positive futures.

We are looking for people who share our values and believe that relationships, compassion and high expectations can change lives. In return, we offer a supportive and collaborative working environment where professional development is encouraged, innovation is welcomed and every member of staff plays an important role in improving outcomes for children and young people.

If you are motivated by purpose, committed to inclusion and want to make a genuine difference every day, WSAPC offers a unique opportunity to be part of something special.

This is far more than a traditional mentoring role. As a Positive Connections Lead, you will work with some of the county s most vulnerable and hard-to-reach young people, helping them overcome barriers that place them at risk of exclusion, criminal exploitation, offending, anti-social behaviour and disengagement from education.

Through positive relationships, innovative intervention programmes and community-based activities, you will support young people to develop resilience, self-regulation, confidence and aspiration. You will play a key role in helping pupils reconnect with education, improve attendance and engagement, and build positive pathways for their future.

Working across schools, communities and partner agencies, you will help design and deliver bespoke programmes, lead targeted interventions and contribute to wider safeguarding, inclusion and exclusion prevention strategies.

No two days will be the same. One day you may be working directly with a young person, the next developing an off-site programme, supporting a school with a complex case, delivering staff training or working alongside partner agencies to coordinate support around a vulnerable learner.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building positive, professional and trusting relationships with vulnerable and hard-to-reach young people.
• Delivering targeted interventions that improve engagement, attendance, behaviour and educational outcomes.
• Designing and developing innovative programmes, enrichment opportunities and off-site learning experiences.
• Supporting pupils who are vulnerable to criminal exploitation, offending, anti-social behaviour or exclusion.
• Working alongside Heads of School to identify needs, develop intervention plans and monitor impact.
• Leading and contributing to multi-agency planning and review meetings.
• Building partnerships with schools, families, community organisations and external agencies.
• Delivering training, advice and guidance to colleagues.
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the impact of interventions and programmes.
• Contributing to the ongoing development of APC s Curriculum Access Team offer.

• Is passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• Builds strong relationships and quickly gains the trust of others.
• Is creative, innovative and able to think differently when traditional approaches have not worked.
• Has experience of supporting young people with social, emotional, behavioural or additional needs.
• Demonstrates resilience, professional curiosity and excellent judgement.
• Can work confidently…